Tiffany manager accuses retailer of discrimination

The plaintiff is the only African-American in the more than 200 U.S. management positions at the retailer.

A manager has sued Tiffany & Co., accusing the retailer of discrimination.

A manager at Tiffany & Co. has sued the luxury jewelry company, saying it discriminated against him and other blacks.

A complaint filed in federal court Thursday in New York said that blacks are underrepresented in management-level positions at Tiffany and excluded from executive-level roles. It said that the plaintiff, Michael McClure, is the only African-American in the more than 200 U.S. management positions at New York-based Tiffany.

Mr. McClure is a group director, with management responsibility for two Tiffany stores in Houston. The complaint said that he was placed on warning and threatened with termination after a performance review that he says was unfair. As a result of the warning, he was denied an annual bonus and merit pay.

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The complaint also said that Mr. McClure got an unsigned letter saying that Anthony Ledru, senior vice president of North America for Tiffany, had said he was surprised that "a black man is representing the Tiffany brand" to a small group of other Tiffany employees.

A Tiffany spokesman said in a statement that the lawsuit allegations are without merit and that the company values diversity.